The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-07-24
LIFE IN NEW YORK.
Some of William Nye's Experience
in Gotham.


4 Josh Whitcomb-looking old gentle
man sat most of the day yesterday on
seat in the open lot commonly called
Union Square. He had his hat off so
that the zephyrs of spring could zeph
through his late hair, and his feet were
drawn up into the legs Of his boots,
where they could swell on almost indie
finitely if they felt better that way.
he was dressed plainly and he carried
with him an emancisted ol-cloth grip
that had no doubt put in a long, hard
winter. He watched his bag so closely
that he did not have much time to COM
mune with nature or enjoy the broad
and beautiful sweep of country that ex-
tends longitudinalIy from Fourth
Avenue to Broadway, merry and musl-
cal with its myriads of song birds. The
twitter of the silvery-voiced sparrow
and the tropical, dark red notice to
keep off the grass" did not seem to
calm him or sooth his anxiety.
l drew near and engaged him in con-
versation. Nothing gives me greater
pleasure than to make strangers in New
York as comfortable as possible while
here so that they Will feel like coming
again frequently and doing their trad
ing here. I believe that this is the only
true way of building up town.
He said that where he stopped they
wanted to take his Yalise and give him
check for it, but he would rather have
the grip than any check he had ever
seen yet. He had taken one check al
ready in making change with a party
day before yesterday and there wasn't a
bank IN town that would cash IL for
him.
1.-The trouble is here,n said he, chat
every inducement is held out to prevent
q man from getting acquainted, and
then when he wants to get check, or
postoffice money order, or anything else
cashed, they tell him he has got to
identify himself. Now, the onlyIman
that I've had any dealing with is the
man that give me this check and can t
find him. I've seen pretty near every
body else, but haven't saw him yester-
day or to-day. l hadn't much of any
thing else to do yesterday and so ]
thought I'd kind of make it my business
to look him up. l went over to the
postotfice about 10 o'clock yesterday
morning and watched all day for him,
because was pretty tolerable sure he
would be down after his mail before
night, but if he got his mail at all that
day he must have sent for it, No, l
guess l wouldn't care to give up my
satchel to Tom. Dick and Harry and
take check for it. Checks are all right
in their place, but this is no place for
cheeks"
The style of the old man was so anus
ing that sat and talked with him for q
long time, for thoroughly enjoyed
him and it seemed a relief for him to
have somebody to talk with. He told
me where he lived and how different his
home life was from this hurry and
rush and crush and cussedness on every
hand" how he went to bed as soon as
the chores were done and slept like q
top, bus here he couldn't sleep nights
with so much hurrah and Fourth of
July going on in the streets.
He aimed to go home tomorrow, he
said, but had overplayed himself by
cashing that blamed check. He had
another check of his own, but he
"boiled up" as quick as he tried to get
that cashed, for the same old reason
tudb u0 uOI NC
He said he was a man in his own
town that everybody knew. Even the
papers had said that "he was
of the place." and now he couldn't be
identified to save his life.
The check which he had originally
was one that he had folded up very
small and in various ways till it was
pretty grim and smelled like fried pork,
but it had an honest air about it that
even $40 check may wear. 1 knew
that l could with slight trouble get
identified myself, and so ] took the
paper off his hands, after he had en-
dorsed it. He was very grateful and
wrung my hand in a warm, enthusiast
tic way that repaid me well for the
slight favor had done him.
One advantage of being man with
plenty of means is the great chance
thus offered for doing fsyors for those
who need them and who are grateful
and appreciatiye.
NY friend did not seem to want t.
leave me, but at last L told him that
would have TO go down street to see how
my affairs were shutting along.
He shook my hand again warmly,
which / did not feel very distinctly, for
it was still paraiyzed from the first
manifestation; then be told me l must
come up and see him this summer and
stay week or two. l gave him my
card and he went down the street,
humming his Russia iron grip against
the legs Of the hurrying throng. >.
As he sailed along and finally out OF
sight, he seemed like breath OF sweet
clover and wild thyme, though he dld
not seem to be having very wild
thlghe, but I could picture his sunny
home up in the hills, as he described l.,
where the drowsy sounds that come
with a country twilight, like doves IN
quiet neighbOrhoods," lul the warm
spirit to gentle reposs, aud L almost
made up my mind to go there when the
summer gets upon its hind feet and pc
GINS to hump itself.
| believe J will do, for thus. in feT'
weeks. could board out the $40 cneck
be gave me and which l have since
learned 'is not available for our col
umns ''-Bm Nyein New York World